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enTourage eDGe is no more, bookstore shuttered

By | May 24, 2011, 5:41am PDT

Summary: The enTourage eDGe was an innovative two-screen eReader but not competitive and it is going away; the online bookstore supporting it was closed for good. Owners need to turn to Google Books for future content as per the company.

When I first held the enTourage eDGe in my hands I was immediately struck by one thought: this thing will never succeed. The two screen eReader was innovative, but much too expensive to compete with more reasonably designed devices on the market. The eDGe was clunky and much too heavy to be held for long. It was an interesting design choice putting an eInk reader on one screen and a color LCD running Android on the other, but they added cost and weight. All of these negatives have proven too much for the company behind the eDGe as the device is no more, and the online bookstore supporting it was closed for good.

The company is directing eDGe owners, and there are some, to go to Google Books to get future content for the device. Content purchased from the eDGe store needs to be downloaded before it is gone forever. This drives home the exposure consumers of ebooks have to be aware of, if you back the wrong ecosystem, your purchased content can disappear in a heartbeat.

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James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long.

Disclosure

James Kendrick

James Kendrick has no affiliations or relationships that need to be disclosed.

Biography

James Kendrick

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long. Prior to joining ZDNet, James was the Founding Editor of jkOnTheRun, a CNET Top 100 Tech Blog that was acquired by GigaOM in 2008 and is now part of that prestigious tech network. James' writing has appeared in many print publications: Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine, Information Week and Laptop Magazine to name a few. James' coverage of the mobile technology sector has regularly appeared in the New York Times, Salon.com and CNN/ Fortune online. Not just a writer, James has filmed numerous video reviews and how-tos that have garnered well over a million viewers. He has appeared on local news segments and been interviewed by the Associated Press on mobile technology topics. Additionally, James has been podcasting about mobile technology for years.

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RE: enTourage eDGe is no more, bookstore shuttered
didebugs@... 14th Apr
There is a fabulous support and developer's group on MobileRead.com for the enTourage eDGe.
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=218

If this link doesn't bring you directly to the forum, go to http://www.mobileread.com/forums/ and scroll down to Android Devices; then click on the small link for enTourage eDGe.
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This fact, is one of many that fueled my decision to not buy any eBooks that are DRm encumbered! I got burned once by EmbiidReader going belly up, and don't plan on it happening again! Around the same time I switched from Windows to Ubuntu Linux, which reinforced the decision as there is very little support by DRM schemes for Linux! I'll stick with Calibre and My Sony Reader thank you!
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When I bought my Entourage Pocket eDGe, I was aware that a "change was in the wind," but since I had a 30-day window to try it out, I figured I'd give it a shot.

I did the upgrade to Android 2.2.1 and downloaded the Kindle app, among others. I then went to Amazon and and got some free Kindle books (if it wasn't going to work, I wasn't going to spend $); they worked! I've also "borrowed" Kindle books from a friend; that works, too.

The eDGe fits in my purse, has a MS Office compatible office suite (Data Viz To Go), and Web access better than plain old mobile. There are active user forums with some really knowledgeable people who are very willing to share tips, hacks, and their experiences.

Like a lot of things "techie," one's choices are VERY subjective.
@theonlyjoie I just bought an Entourage Pocket eDGe not knowing that it had gone out of business. Where can I go to upgrade my operating system and to get some apps. like Docs to Go?
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I like mine
roger88 26th May 2011
e-reader + android - come on what could be better!
as far as weight, I like having 2 screens while you can flip it 360 degrees, I usually hold it open like a book. For the price I paid ($150) - there's nothing on the market I'd rather have. Content - I can throw epub or pdf at it from any source. Don't need a store for epub, plenty of android apps on Amazon. Only draw back is 4 years from now when the battery goes, I can't replace it. By then, I'm sure I'll have something new. For now, the Entourage Pocket Edge rocks.
It seems to me that the tech reviewers really missed the point with the Edge. There is no other device that handles e-ink PDF annotation even moderately well, let alone one that has a screen large enough to actually read and write on full sized PDF documents. Even LCD devices can't match the Edge's annotation capabilities, as the styluses sold for them are nearly useless.

PDF annotation is just the beginning of what the Edge offers that no other device can match. Sadly, no others seem to even be trying to offer real solutions for business people and academics who read and work on the equivalent of stacks of digital documents. Sure, it's larger than other tablets and readers, but who cares if those other devices offer no additional value as a tool, and serve mainly as entertainment? Besides, the Edge design makes it incredibly easy to prop the device up on your lap for hours of reading and working.

I'm so glad to have mine and I can only hope that other companies in the future will bother to address some of the same needs as the Edge, but with better marketing.
what's out there close to the edge that can meet the needs of people like me?
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I just bought one of these off TigerDirect.ca, no mention of the company being defunct, and now what?? I can't get past the Registration screen? sad Anyone know if there exists a community support channel anywhere? I mean, it is opensource isn't it?
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@garym@... I feel your pain bro. I too just got mine from TigerDirect today. Didn't even get as far as the registration screen, went on-line to get the full owners manual so I could find out how to tell if the battery was fully charged and to make sure I did everything right and. well, you know, I found out that I (we) had been had!. I bought this because a very dear friend has one and recommended it highly and she has a relative who works for the company. There's probably a work-around, but this is something that should have been disclosed with a big black-box warning during the purchase process. I feel like calling the cops! Ive got to run some errands right now, Ill let you know if & when I find anything out. Right now, I'm inclined to just send it back. I mean I have wasted so much of my life on trying to get half-ass gadgets to work I really should just send it back but, I probably won't.
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There is a way around the REg screen, look for it un Utube. very simple to do, and the edge works great after that. Its simple as tapping the corners on the very first screen. Start lower left and go counter clock wise.
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Alarm bells ringing!
0011235813 14th Sep
I bought my pocket eDGe less than a month ago... while it certainly is the best E-book reader out there (I haven't heard of any E-ink device being touchscreen- or having a stylus, with the other E-book readers{like Kindle} can only be read and have to be operated via keyboard) and it's a good tablet too (1 Ghz {giga-hertz} processor, 500mb RAM and HD graphics) I have no idea the companies bust. Is it bust? You say the store is closed.. do they still manufacture them?

But that's what I just found out, To be Honest, this isn't the reason I came to this site. While the fact the companies bust is disturbing, it doesn't affect me much- I have no intention of paying anything for my E-books. What DOES affect me is Flash- I know it has flash Lite, but ordinary flash 10 games don't play on it.. and of course I can't download it(flash 10). So is there anyway I can hack my device and put Adobe Flash 10.2 on it?
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Alarm bells
0011235813 14th Sep
The company went bust?! I just bought mine less than a month ago! (14th September 2011 right now) Anyway, although it is disturbing- it doesn't affect me too much- I never had any intention of buying E-books, only stealing them.

What I'm more Intrested in- Can I hack my device to accept Adobe Flash Player 10.2?
So, I just bought an eDGE dualbook from Woot (for a very good price, & knowing that the company was already out of business.) I there ANYPLACE I can go to either purchase or download a user's manual? I got as as far as the registration screen but it keeps giving me a "Code 80" error re. network connection -- I KNOW I am connected to the wireless network at my workplace. I am definitely NOT a techie, but if I could just get the thing registered perhaps I could get to the HELP screens.... Any ideas? Anyone?
So, I bought a Pocket eDGe Dualbook from Woot (for a VERY good price, and knowing that the company was already out of business.) I cannot get it to register -- I get as far as the registration screen but after typing in my information I keep getting a "Code 80" network connection error. I AM CONNECTED to the WiFi network at my workplace (a public library--unsecure network). I have been trying without success to find a downloadable user's manual, or a print copy that I could buy. I am definitely NOT a techie but I think if I could get the device registered I would be able to figure out how to use it by accessing the help screens. Does anyone have a suggestion for me? (I read somewhere something about changing a setting (wifi??) to "less than 11" but I don't know what that means or how to do it. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?
So, I just bought an Entourage Pocket eDGe Dualbook from Woot (for a VERY good price, and knowing that the company was already out of business.) When I went to set up the device I got as far as the registration screen but after entering my information & hitting the Register button, I keep getting a "Code 80" network connection error. I know I AM CONNECTED to the WiFi network at my workplace (a public library--unsecure network.) So I went online to try to find some information about this thing. Somewhere along the way I read something about changing a setting (WiFi??) to "less than 11" but I don't know what that means or how to do it. I am definitely NOT a techie but if I could get the thing registered I think I could figure out how to use it by accessing the pre-loaded help screens. I have searched in vain for either a downloadable user's manual/guide or a print version that I could purchase. Any ideas/suggestions for me? Anyone?? Thanks in advance!
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go around the registration.
fixitmic 22nd Sep
There is a way around the REg screen, look for it un Utube. very simple to do, and the edge works great after that. Its simple as tapping the corners on the very first screen. Start lower left and go counter clock wise.
There is a way around the REg screen, look for it un Utube. very simple to do, and the edge works great after that. Its simple as tapping the corners on the very first screen. Start lower left and go counter clock wise.
@fixitmic
Thank you, thank you! I got it registered.
@SeattleBrad
Thank you so much!! I got it registered & am (slowly) figuring out how to use it. Might never have figured it out without your help!
I puchased my on WOOT, they should have said the company was gone. I am not happy with them at all. The Edge on the other hand seems to fill a nice nitch. the tough part is getting around the registration. It can be done. There is a way around the REg screen, look for it on Utube. very simple to do, and the edge works great after that. Its simple as tapping the corners on the very first screen. Start lower left and go counter clock wise.
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There is a fabulous support and developer's group on MobileRead.com for the enTourage eDGe.
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=218

If this link doesn't bring you directly to the forum, go to http://www.mobileread.com/forums/ and scroll down to Android Devices; then click on the small link for enTourage eDGe.

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